CC Sabathia still remembers the game last spring when he gave up five runs against the Tigers. “I didn’t realize how big the story was going to be,” he said.

He was better today. Not perfect, but better through two scoreless innings. He walked two and allowed two singles.

“My delivery was so-so,” he said. “I had a couple of times when I fell off the mound and wasn’t headed toward the plate. That’s why you saw changeups going into the other batters box. That will be something I’ll work in in my bullpen coming up.”

For his first start of the spring, he was happy. And he didn’t give the tabloids any back-page fodder.

“Results don’t start to matter until April 4,” he said. “That’s when I’ll start paying attention to them.”

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